Beneath the Surface
by PiiXXiiEE
Summary: When dragons suddenly take root and start terrorizing the Kingdom DunBroch, Merida's father calls upon the only known group of Vikings to rid the dragons from their land, to help get rid of the blasted beasts. But the scars of the past war between Vikings and Scottish run deep and trust is put to the test. Can the two races put aside their differences and uncover the real threat?
1. Winds of change

_**AUTHORS NOTE**_

_WOOOO! OK so I never imagined I would be doing a Brave/How to tame Your Dragon crossover XD but well, here it is! I saw some fanart and I got inspired. What can you do? Anyways I ran out of time and I didn't know where I would end the chapter otherwise so I apologize if yo don't like where it ends lol PLEASE REVIEW! Reviews are like my fuel ^^ So if you want to read more, I advise u review. Mwuhahahah! LOl anyways heres the FIRST chapter. ENJOY!_

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The sun had started to rise over the lush green highlands of medievil Scottish kingdom DunBroch where magic ran throughout the land and many stories were still being woven in to its rich history. The sun crept through even the highest windows of the stone castle DunBroch that towered at the peak of a cliff, that looked over a towering fjord with crystal blue waters flowing far beneath. It was a breath taking site that a certain, young, lucky red-headed lass got to wake to every morning, and admire as she gazed out the window with sleepy eyes from her large warm bed. A gentle smile crept across her. The world seemed quite and peaceful, with only the soft gentle sound of birds singing their morning song to break the silence. Maybe today would be a good day? The wind suddenly blew and the curly red headed lass shivered, hoisting the covers over her completely. She waited for a moment, before pulling the covers off as the odd wind stopped. Merida gazed hard outside across the fjord. It could have been her imagination, but she thought she heard voices faintly on the wind. For a brief moment her stomach churned. She gazed as hard as she could, looking for any sign of smoke. Surley those _things_ weren't attacking one of the villages near the outskirts of the land? Her gaze remained focused for several more moments, until the sound of the morning birds reached her ears again and calmed her, seeing that everything, for now, was at peace. She sighed in relief and her head sunk back down into her white woollen pillow. She lay there for only a few moments, before her eyes shot open. It was useless. She was to awake now to go back to sleep. She swung back the covers and swiftly changed out of her thin, flowing white night gown and into her deep, flowing ocean blue dress that made her charmingly long, red curly hair stand out even more and complimented her light ocean blue eyes. She swung her quiver and bow over her shoulder and hurried happily through the corridor and down the wooden steps, her empty stomach leading her through the castle to the massive great hall on the ground level. She was a little dissapointed to see all her family seated at the table already, with her brothers no doubt taking the good stuff, leaving her with most of the haggis for her breakfast. She cringed as she approached the table. Oh well. Its not a like a bad breakfast meant a bad day. Right?

"Mornin everyone" she greeted cheerily.

"Good morning Merida, love!" her father greeted. For a man with the size and strength of a bear, he had an unusually carefree smile. "So whats on the agenda today?" Merida smiled playfully.

"Oh nothing much, just going to do a bit of exploring in the forest again" she declared grabbing a plate and piling it with what edible food was left.

"I'm afraid not" her mother objected solemnly.

Merida paused instantly as she was reaching for a bread bun. "What do you mean?" she asked warily. She prayed her mother wasn't going to start being over baringly protective again.

"We need to go to Hagsporth village. All of us" Merida blinked at her mom surprised and a little confused.

"But Mom Hagsporth village was-"

"Burned down a few days ago, I know. And thats exactly why we're going. The people need to see that no matter how big or small, they are in our prayers and in our thoughts and that we have not forgotten them. They need to know that we have not turned a blind eye to the recent terrors that have descended on our land and that we will do everything we can to stop it" Merida and her brothers stared at their mother in mild awe and admiration, her words empowering them and strengthing their sense of duty as leaders of the kingdom. Fergus stared at his wife affectionately. She wasn't his queen for nothing.

"Ae. Well said dear. We'll all set off after we've finished breakfast" Breakfast was light and casual after that, but their was no mistaking the tense atmoshpere underlying the warmness of a family breakfast. It was an atmosphere felt throughout the land. The fear of the terrors that had recently taken residence in the mountain valleys. A fearsome, and most troublesome foe indeed. One that gave even Merida the chills, even though she had never seen one. She didn't need to. She had seen the aftermath first hand and heard the tales the victims told. The stories alone were enough to make her pray she never had the misfortune of meeting one. But if there was a way to drive them from their land, she would find it.

The family rode of on horse back soon after their meal, and rode continuously for hours. Merida would usually revel in the wind blowing through her feiry red hair and the sound of Angus' hooves galloping across the land, creating a rhythm that seemed to soothe her. But riding towards a burnt down village was nothing to revel in. The land soon became increasingly damaged and barren as they went along. The gray ground was dry and cracked, the trees charred, burnt and withered. It hurt Merida to see her land so decimated, no matter how small of a portion it made up of the kingdom. With most of the trees burnt to the ground, it wasn't hard to see the remains of the village as they stopped at the top of the hill.

Helena's gaze fell to the ground. "Those poor souls. It never gets any easier seeing such a sight" Fergus put his giant hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"I know dear. But that's why we're here" He nodded his head towards the direction of the village. "To make it easier for them, And dont worry, _they _should be here any day now" Merida frowned, confused.

"'They'?. Who's 'they'?" Her father smiled reassuringly.

"Dont worry love, you'll find out soon enough" Merida was content with this answer, and with that, they rode down hill to the battered seaside village.

They reached the edge of it within moments and slowed their pace to a stroll as they entered Hagsporth, and even the triplets hearts sunk as they did. Burnt and charred bodies were still scattered here and there throughout the streets, and it wasnt just humans but animals as well. Some houses were burnt to the ground, others were still standing but barely, with large parts of the house burnt and missing. As they gazed around, Merida noticed something change slightly in her fathers eyes. She saw a determination and fight in his eyes she hadn't seen in a while. He stopped as his firm gaze settled on a scruffy burnt man leaning up against the remains of a building. Merida guessed it was his home.

"You there!" Her fathers voice came out strong and firm, surprising even Merida. The man looked up and as he looked in the face of his noble king, Merida saw hope in his eyes. "King!" he stated surprised.

"Round up everyone and tell them to gather in the centre of town immediately!" he commanded. The man nodded and ran off to do just that, and his voice echoed through the eerie silence as he rounded the corner ahead of them.

"THE KINGS HERE! EVERYONE TO THE TOWN SQUARE!" he bellowed. With that Fergus speed up his pace a little and headed towards the town square, with Merida and the others in tow. By time they reached the town square, a large amount of people, although battered and bruised, had already gathered and were chattering loudly among themselves. They left the horses tied at the edge of the crowd as they parted way for their noble king and his family as they made their way to the centre where a table lay on its side. Fergus stood the table upright and they all stepped up onto it.

"People of Hagsworth!" Fergus bellowed, his voice ringing true across the crowd. He paused and Merida looked at her fathers face and for a moment thought he lost his edge seeing the mass of the crowd, but instead he smiled proudly. "Look at you all. Look at many of you there are!" he said proudly. "Good people of Hagsworth! Do you want to know why there are so many of you!?" he asked rhetorically. "Because you are strong!" The determination and proudness in his statement struck the hearts of the crowd, as they lifted their heads from the ground. "You're are part of the mighty Kingdom of DunBroch! Mighty warriors who fought Vikings not so many years ago and won! Earning our freedom and restoring this land! And this time will be no different. This enemy may be different, and frightening, but they still bleed like any other living thing! Like the Vikings did" A confident murmur rose in the crowd. "They still have weaknesses like any other creature!" The crowd gave a small confident yell.

"AND ON MY NAME AS KING! THEY WILL DRAW THEIR LAST BREATH LIKE EVERY OTHER CREATURE AND THEY WILL NO LONGER DISTURB OUR LAND!" Fists rose warily but proudly in the air and the crowd bellowed with renewed vigour. As he continued to speak, Merida smiled proudly at her father, and the towns folk bellow. The people were strong, and they would get through this. Its like her father said, they were the Kingdom of DunBroch! And they would not be brought down so easily! She turned around to gaze up at the land behind her, despite its desolate appearance. The kingdom of Dunbroch would prevail and this land would be filled with tall wild trees and lush green hills and fields once again.

Merida's keen eye's narrowed as she spotted something move slightly on the hill in the distance. What was it? She squinted more and made out the shape of a person. A young boy about her age judging from his stature. And then she saw his helmet, and her heart beat fast and her eyes widened. It was a helmet with horns on the side. A Viking helmet! The boy was a Viking!? At that moment, a large black creature strode up behind him. Was it a bear!? It was the size or Mor'du! Maybe bigger! The creature nudged the boy gently and he turned around surprised, the started pushing it away hurriedly. The boy seemed familiar with that creature. It was then the Merida saw what it was, as the creature briefly expanded it's large black wings. Merida's heart beat fast as the beast turned away to head down hill. It was a damned dragon! Merida hoped of the table and hurried through the crowd who was still listening to her father. She reached the edge of the crowd and untied her large faithful horse Angus, mounting him within moments. She set of full speed to the top of the hill where she saw the dragon and the boy.

"_Unbelievable!_" she thought fuming. _"I had heard that a Viking village had tamed dragons but to think they would actually use them to attack and raid our Kingdom! I wont forgive them!" _She stopped only for a moment at the top of the hill to try spot the boy and his beastly pet. Merida spotted them instantly strolling down the charred hill and drew her arrow instantly, taking aim. The boy turned back and saw her. Mere seconds before Merida let loose her arrow, he pushed and yelled something at the beast. Merida swore internally as both started to run her arrow struck only the ground. The boy ran beside his dragon and swung onto it as it beat its powerful black leather wings and lifted in to the air. Merida took after them at full speed, readying another arrow. With one eye closed, she focused only on the ghastly fire breathing beast hovering several feet in the air ahead. But the beast picked up momentum and Merida knew it was now or never. She slowed her breathing, kept her eye fixed on the beast and as she tapped the arrow three times with her finger, everything seemed to slow, making her shot clear in her eyes. Her finger tapped the arrow for the third time and released it as it went flying through the air.


	2. First encounter

The remaining townsfolk of Hagsporth clung to the words of their bear like king, Fergus. Although they were scarred and battered, the fire in their eyes told a different story. It had been but a few moments since Merida slipped away undiscovered.

"I wont lie to you" he said calmly when the time was right and their spirits were high. "These foe are unlike any we have faced, and it is for that reason that I have asked for aid, from the Noble Vikings of Burk, who not only drove the beasts out of their own land, but tamed the blighted creatures as well!" The crowd instantly burst in to a loud indecipherable murmur.

"How can you allow those barbarians back into our land!?" one called. Fergus sighed. He had expected some rejection to the Vikings aid. He had hoped they would be able to move past their bloody history with the Vikings. Although he wouldn't deny that even he second-guessed his decision from time to time. But he had heard good things of the Vikings of Burk. They were fierce like all Vikings, but they were farmers and traders, not raiders and ship wreckers. And further still, they successfully drove the dragons from their land and they needed the help of veterans experienced in fighting dragons.

He allowed the crowd a moment before he opened his mouth to speak, but he paused as Elinor tugged in his arm urgently.

"Fergus!" she said distressed. He turned to look at her and held her by the shoulders.

"What is dear!?" It wasn't hard to see something was wrong.

"Its Merida! She's gone!"

"What!" he scanned the area urgently for any sign of the fiery lass, before the triplets, with their bouncy head of red curly hair tugged on his leg and started pointing frantically towards the hill behind the village. It was then that the cry of a dragon echoed through the air and the crowd fell silent for only a single moment. Then the panic started to set in over the crowd. It was obvious they feared they were being attacked once again.

"Merida" Fergus murmured concerned. He turned to face Elinor again.

"Take care of the crowd love. Calm them down and try get them to accept the Vikings help" He kissed her on the forehead. "I know you can do it" He looked down at the triplets staring up at him determinedly.

"You boys listen to what your mother tells you and stay here! Do that and you can pick your breakfast for a week!" The boys nodded in agreement. With that, Fergus leapt of the table and hurried towards his horse at the edge of the crowd, mounting it almost as fast as Merida did and ran off full speed towards the top of the hill and into the charred forest.

The large, magnificent wooden ship with powerful striped sails creaked ever so slightly as it glided through the water. The large carved dragon head was a fearsome decoration to the ship but brought courage and empowerment to the brave crewmen of the ship. It led other slightly smaller, but equally grand ships along the Eastern coast line of DunBroch. The Vikings of Burk had always had exceptional craftsmen.

At the bow the grand ship that led the others stood a large man the intimidating size of a buffalo, wearing just as much fur as one. He squinted and scratched his long dark, earthen brown beard that reached the top of his large belly. He stared long and hard across the land, and was surprised as the lush green forests turned to the charred remains of one. A burly man of similar stature sporting a blonde beard wore a typical Viking metal helmet with high horns.

"Any sign of Hiccup?" he asked his concerned friend. "It's been a quarter of an hour now since he and Toothless left to scout the land"

"No. He should be back by now" The Viking chief known as Stoick the Vast sighed "I better go ahead and look for him. I swear that boy will be the death of me" The blonde bearded Viking put a hand on his shoulder.

"You stay. I'll go look for him. It wouldn't look good if we showed up without our chief on board would it?" The proud chief sighed. His life long friend Gobber had a point.

"All right then. Just make sure you find him quick" Gobber blinked in surprise at something in the far distance behind the chief.

"I think I already did" he said surprised, squinting. "Look!" he pointed towards the charred forest on the low Cliffside and the Chief followed his gaze. He squinted long and hard and saw something large and black moving through the air amongst the trees inland a little. It was hard to see, but there was no mistaking it was Toothless and Hiccup. Before the chief had a chance to feel relieved, something glimmered in the air and Toothless suddenly roared out in alarm, and the chief watched anxiously as he started spiraling downwards.

"Hiccup" Gobber murmured concerned.

"READY A ROW BOAT AT ONCE! IM GOING ASHORE!" Stoick commanded. There was no changing his mind now. He may not have the best eyesight in the land but it was good enough to see that that glimmer was an arrow.

The arrow flew through the air, right on target. But at the last moment the black beast descended slightly to the left. But the shot wasn't a complete miss. It hit the left wing if its tail and for the briefest moment before it started tumbling to the ground, Merida noticed that it was artificial! It fell out of sigh a few yards in front of her and she took of full speed after it. She wouldn't let this one away! It took mere minutes to reach where the boy and dragon had fallen together, as she spotted them behind a boulder, with him trying to encourage the beast to get to its feet and get moving.

"Toothless! Come on! Get moving!" He moved right, away from the cover of the boulder, with the dragon 'Toothless' a mere two paces behind. Merida shoot an arrow by the boys feet and he stopped in his tracks, startled as he spun around. She took aim again at the dragon but the boy stepped in front, his arms spread out to block her view.

"Ooook, this is very bad" he said nervously to the dragon.

"Move aside! I wont shot another human being unless forced to, but those beasts attacked our land! And as the Kings daughter, it's my duty to get rid of it!"

"The Kings daughter" he muttered quietly. Toothless who had been backing away silently and slowly from Hiccup, suddenly ran and leapt over him, blocking view of the boy and startling Angus who stood on two rear legs, causing Merida to fall to the ground as he bolted away. She called after him, but spun back around when she heard the beast growl. She stared at it in fright.

"Toothless don't!" the boy called.

It was moments away from pouncing on her! She met the beasts gaze with as much courage she could and held it, feeling the ground behind her for her bow. Her hand felt something wooden, curved and familiar.

"MERIDA!" called a familiar strong voice along with the sound of holves. Merida looked behind and her saw her father closing in fast on a horse. He leaped of it and rushed to her side.

"Dad stay back!"

"Merida! Are you hurt lass!?"

"I'm fine!" she complained, "but dad, the dragon!" Both looked up at black beast who snarled at them. "_Dad?" _thought the boy.

"Err, hello?" he waved awkwardly, "You uh, wouldn't happen to be King Fergus would you?" Merida was shocked as he father looked at the boy without any malice or surprise. Did he not see that the boy was a Viking?

"Ae lad. That I am. And who might you be? A Viking from Burk?"

"Yep, that's me, the very image of a powerful Viking warrior!" he said sarcastically with his gaze averted. He approached the dragon and put his hand on its back calmly.

"It's alright toothless, you can relax now" he said smiling at it. The beasts gaze didn't wander from the two strangers, especially from the red headed one, but it did back away and stop snarling, sitting defiantly...like a guard dog?

Fergus looked at the lad properly. Scrawny figure. Odd personality but amazing with the beasts.

"Aye lad, you wouldn't happen to be Stoicks son would you?"

"Ah, I see you've heard about me. I'm sure you've heard great tales about Stoicks the Vasts fishbone son" Merida didn't miss his sarcasm and covered her mouth as she almost laughed. Mainly because it was true. He was so scrawny she could probably beat him in a fight. But she wasn't about to laugh at a Vikings joke. But her father did chuckle.

"You are an odd one lad, I mean no offence by it"

"Daaad!" Merida complained. He looked down at her puzzled.

"What is it lass?" She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"Aren't you going to explain what is exactly is going on!?"

"Oh! Right!" he said sheepishly. "Well, you see-" he began, but paused as they heard some one calling.

"HICCUUUPP!" it called. It was a deep, strong voice and firm voice.

"Dad?" the boy muttered, looking around as spotted someone further up in the distance. "O-OVER HERE DAD!" he called. Merida saw where the boy was looking and here eyes widened in surprise as the man started running towards them. The man was huge and seemed be growing even bigger as he came closer! Merida swallowed a nervous lump in her throat.

"_He might possibly be bigger than dad!" _she thought as the man approached. He rushed straight to Hiccup, not noticing the other two.

"Hiccup! Son are you alright?"

"Er yeah dad, we're fine" Merida watched surprised as the burly man briefly pulled his son in to a hug.

"Oh I thought I lost you son!" He turned to the dragon and approached it casually. "Did you help look after my son again you great beast?" he said stroking its head like a...pet? Merida continued to stare in surprise. These Vikings really were strange. But she decided the dragon was stranger still when she saw it liked being patted. "Hiccup, you're sure you're ok?" he asked the boy again to be absolutely sure.

"Yes dad, everything's fine. Toothless' left tail wing broke but otherwise no damage done. Just a little misunderstanding...I think"

"Misunderstanding?" he frowned, rising to his feet. Fergus stood up as well to his full height.

"I'm afraid that's my fault" he said, getting the large chieftains attention. "See I hadn't informed my daughter here that we were expecting, well that we were expecting help. You have my sincerest apologies" Merida looked at her father guilty, then at the ground. She still didn't quite understand what was going on, but clearly she had done something wrong and now her father was apologizing on her behalf.

The chief said nothing for a moment and stared at them long and hard, before sighing.

"Aye well, no harm done ae?" The man extended his hand to Fergus. "Well meet King Fergus"

"And to you Chief Stoick" he smiled, shaking Stoicks hand. "I apologize for this rather awkward welcome" he said sheepishly. Stoick smiled knowingly.

"Well we are here a few days early so it's understandable"

"Nonsense! We'll have a big feast when we return up north to the castle for you and your men" Fergus insisted happily. The chieftain laughed.

"Aye well, I wont turn down a good meal" he admitted. "Anyway I think we've done enough introductions, lead the way your Highness"

"Aye! Right you are!" he said starting back up the hill "And just Fergus is fine. Never did like being called king much" he muttered. Merida could only stare at her father and Chief Stoick walking ahead, trying to figure out what in the spirits names was going on! As she followed her father and the chief a few strides behind, she found that the chiefs son did the same. Of course that meant the dragon following closely at his side. She stared, almost glared at it and the night black dragon called 'Toothless' did the same.

"I would've had you, you overgrown lizard. If it wasn't for your friend here" She nodded her head in the direction of the chiefs son walking between them. He made a nervous chuckle.

"I don't think so. He would've pounced before you a chance to fire another arrow. Of course I wouldn't have let him hurt you though"

"What are you talking about? I already shot part of its tail" she said a bit smugly. "And if it plays up again, I wont miss"

"Actually what you shot was this" He opened his arms to reveal the red, artificial tail wing he was carrying made from metal, wood and cloth. Merida stared at it in impressed.

"This thing allows it to fly? And you made it!?"

"Yea well, we Vikings are known for our craftsmanship aren't we? And the fact that I spent my time in the smithy while all the others battled dragons probably had something to do with it" he admitted. This time Merida couldn't help but chuckle. The boy purposely tried to sound boastful about it but in a weird way, it was obvious that he was actually humble about it. He really was an odd person!

"Soooo what exactly is going on?" she asked hoping she would finally get an answer. "I guess I don't mean to sound rude but why are you Vikings here?"

"Wow, so you really don't know" he said genuinely surprised. This irked Merida.

"Its not my fault! My parents didn't tell me a thing!" Hiccup said nothing as he gazed around the burnt forest and damaged land for a moment.

"The dragons here seem a lot more vicious than the ones we used to face back home" he stated solemnly. Merida frowned and looked at him concerned.

"What do you mean?"

"Before we started taming them, the dragons back in Burk caused significant damage, but they merely raided what food they could then hurried back to their nest. But they never burnt or charred the land like this. It's my first time seeing land so badly damaged" Hiccup didn't say anything for the sake of making the girl worried, but it unnerved him a little to see the extent of the damage the dragons had done. "But I'm sure we'll fine. Those dragons shouldn't be a match for us" he said trying his best to sound confident.

"Us?" Merida queried. She stopped in her tracks suddenly as everything clicked into place. She jogged a little to catch back up to Hiccup. "Are you telling me you Vikings are here to help us get rid of the dragons!?"

"That's the gist of it I guess" he shrugged. Merida felt even guiltier than she did before.

"And I attacked you thinking you were an enemy. I'm-" she paused, obviously having trouble getting the last word out. "sorry" she said finally.

"Getting my life threatened? No big deal" he said partially sarcastic with a smile.

"But I could've killed you" she stated guiltily. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm a Viking. Its an occupational hazard" Merida wasn't quite sure what to say to that statement, so instead she just continued to walk in silence. A small part of her though admired not just Hiccups braveness but the way he so easily and kindly brushed the incident away.

It took them about twenty minutes to the reach the village of Hagsporth again with the exception of Toothless who had been told to fly discreetly back to the ship which they saw from the top of the hill, had already docked. The crowd could also be seen at the docks. Everyone felt a bit anxious at even just watching the crowd from a distance. They headed all the way to through town to the village where the docks were and sure, the crowd was thick. They were however, completely silent, and it took only a moment to figure out why, as Elinor's voice ran true and clear through the crowd. She was calming them, and lowering their tension considerably. Fergus smiled at the sound of his wife's voice for a moment, before he approached the edge of the crowd. There were startled gasps and murmurs as the crowd parted way for the King and his two Viking guests as he made his way to the front, where Elinor stood with all three triplets at her side. She paused instantly and gasped, and ran to embrace her husband.

"Fergus" she said softly. "Your safe!" she pulled away and pulled Merida into an equally tight hug. "And brought Merida back safely!"

"Mom!" she complained embarrassed. Elinor chuckled lightly as she let go.

"Aye, there was a little misunderstanding but that's settled now" Fergus said smiling. "But now we have another matter to address" he put his hands firmly on Elinor's shoulder. "Elinor dear, you and the kids ride back to the castle and I'll meet you there in a few hours with our guests…all of them. Tell the chef to prepare enough food to feed an army. We're going to have a feast to welcome our guests.

"We'll leave straight away" Elinor smiled confidently.

Fergus turned to address the crowd as Merida, along with her three brothers saddled up and swiftly headed towards home. Merida paused to look over the town as she rode away, wondering many things, but especially, what changes these Vikings would bring.

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**_AUTHORS NOTE** _

_Come on, you didnt really think i was gonna let Merida hurt Hiccup or Toothless did you? :P Course not! I love those two! XD But man did her father cut it close or what! Anyways hope you enjoyed the chapter! Dont forget to review! AND THANKS A BUNCH TO THOSE THAT HAVE REVIEWED ALREADY! Much appreciated! :D Dnt know if i said this before, but reviews are like my fuel for writing fanfics_

_I wanna say a big thank you for your patience with me. I think I kinda screwed this chapter up T_T but I intend to edit and update over the next few days and I apologize for the horrible mistake of calling Elinor, Elinor_

_See ya next time! :D_


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